Frequently Asked Questions and General Information about the Mary D. Ainsworth Clinic
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What do you charge for services and what insurance do you accept?
The clinic does not charge for services; because services are free, we do not process anything through insurance companies.
Can I be seen at your clinic if I am not a UVa student?
Our clinic offers therapy services to members of the Charlottesville area community as well as UVa students, staff, faculty and others in the UVa community. In addition, we offer testing/assessment services for children and adolescents in the Charlottesville area community.
Do you see children at your clinic?
Children and adolescents are generally seen by advanced students at our clinic. Therefore, there are fewer openings, and these openings are more difficult to predict.
Will I see a psychologist when I come to your clinic?
Most of our services (therapy and assessment) are provided by graduate students. These students are in the Clinical Psychology PhD program, and they are supervised by Licensed Clinical Psychologists who are faculty members at the University. Therapy sessions and psychological assessments or testing are videotaped for supervision purposes. There are occasional and very limited openings with faculty members at the clinic. These sessions are also frequently taped or viewed by students, as part of the students’ training.
Your voicemail says you are full - can you add me to a waiting list for testing or therapy?
We are unable to maintain a waiting list for any of our services due to the high volume of requests we receive and the limited number of openings we have during the year.
While our clinic is open year-round, openings for new therapy and testing clients typically occur at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters, with occasional openings in the summer. When we have openings, we will begin to schedule phone intake screenings. Once we complete a phone intake and determine that our clinic would be appropriate for you, we would then give you an estimated time frame for when you could expect to start therapy or testing. Once our testing and therapy openings for the semester are filled, we generally will not have openings until the following semester.
Due to the uncertainty of additional openings, we are unable to keep a waiting list. When requested, we can assist in providing contact information for additional therapy and/or assessment resources in the area.
With no Waiting List, what can I expect when I call or email?
When you call or email to request services, you can expect that someone will respond letting you know if we currently have an opening for the type of service you are interested in (psychotherapy or psychological testing/assessment).
- If we do not have an opening, we will offer to give you referral information on other providers in the area.
- If we do have an opening, we will offer to schedule a phone intake screening. Shortly after the intake screening takes place, a determination will be made about whether we are appropriate and can provide the service you need.
- If we determine we would be able to provide services, we will give you an estimated time frame for when you can expect to start therapy or testing.
- If we determine we cannot provide you with the services you need, we will give you referral information on other providers in the area.
Can you prescribe medication?
Our clinic does not have a psychiatrist on staff and does not offer psychiatric services. If you need psychiatric services, we would recommend that those be in place prior to beginning counseling at our clinic. We can assist in providing contact information for local psychiatric resources.
Can you provide me with accommodations for my school or job?
Receiving testing at our clinic is only the first step in obtaining accommodations for test taking, school, or work. If our testing finds that you meet criteria for a diagnosis or condition that requires accommodations, then, the first step of this process has been met. It is up to the institution providing the accommodations however, to make the final decision as to what, if any, accommodations will be given.
Do you perform attachment evaluations?
No. The Ainsworth Attachment Clinic on East Jefferson Street performs attachment evaluations. Our clinics are often confused with one another due to the similarity of their names.
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